BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech head softball coach Scot Thomas announced Wednesday the signing of two standout pitchers from Virginia to National Letters of Intent, who will enroll at Tech in Fall of 2012 and begin playing in the Spring of 2013.

Kelly Heinz and Maggie Tyler are both highly decorated recruits who will make immediate impacts in the circle for the Hokies. Heinz, the 2011 Gatorade State Player of the Year, hails from Mechanicsville and Tyler, an all-state pitcher, lives in Poquoson.

“This is a small, but talented, signing class that’s comprised of easily two of the top pitchers in the state, so we are very excited about Kelly and Maggie,” Thomas said. “Both have tremendous character and come from great families. Maggie has great size and throws a very heavy ball and I think she will really complement the rest of the pitching staff well. Kelly is a hard-throwing gunslinger who has all the tools to become one of the great ones and she will also be a force as a hitter at the plate.”

Several other players will enroll at Tech with Heinz and Tyler as recruited walk-ons, but their names cannot be released at this time per NCAA rules.

Below are the bios on Tech’s two newest signees:

Kelly Heinz
P
Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis High

High School: Plays at Lee-Davis High for Coach Jackie Davis … A MaxPreps first-team All-American as a junior … The Virginia Gatorade state player of the year as a junior after leading her team to a state title … Also named first-team all-state as a sophomore and junior … The Richmond Times-Dispatch player of the year as a junior … Went 22-1 with a 0.09 ERA with 292 strikeouts in 151 innings as a junior … Also hit .455 with five home runs and 26 RBI … A two-time Capital District Pitcher of the Year and was the Pitcher of the Year in the Central Region and for The Times-Dispatch All-Metro team as a sophomore … Is a Hanover Scholar, an award given by the Hanover County School Board to students in Hanover County who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or higher and previously and or currently are enrolled in at least four weighted classes … Is also an Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar and won the Outstanding Achievement for Business and Marketing at Lee-Davis High … Plays travel ball for Coach Allan Spencer and the 18U Dixie Chicks.

Personal: Kelly Dawn Heinz was born Dec. 7, 1993 in Pittsburgh … The daughter of Bill and Jackie Heinz … Is an only child.
Coach Sherwood on Heinz: “Kelly comes in as a highly touted recruit. I truly believe she will meet all of the expectations that we have for her. She is strong and throws the ball with big-time velocity. I look for Kelly to have a great career wearing the maroon and orange.”Maggie Tyler
P
Poquoson, Va./Poquoson High

High School: Plays at Poquoson High for Coach Colleen Duman … A two-time Daily Press Softball Player of the Year … As a junior, went 22-3 and posted a 0.55 ERA with 242 strikeouts in 166 innings and limited opposition batters to a .132 average … Was named first-team all-region for her work in the circle … Also batted .405 with 26 RBI, while pounding out 17 extra-base hits (11 doubles, a triple and five home runs) … Was named first-team all-state as a sophomore after going 24-4 with an 0.11 earned run average and 255 strikeouts, versus only 16 walks, in 187 innings … Plays travel ball for Coach Tom Bunn and the Williamsburg Starz.

Personal: Margaret Emily Tyler was born May 20, 1994 in Poquoson, VA … The daughter of Mark and Melanie Tyler … Has an older brother, Drew.
Coach Sherwood on Tyler: “Maggie is a big, tall kid with a ton of potential. She continues to get better and better every day. She has a heavy drop ball to go with a strong screw ball. Maggie will be a huge compliment to our pitching staff.”

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